Monica Mateo Garcia | Energy Performance | Women Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Dr. Monica Mateo Garcia | Energy Performance | Women Researcher Award

Associate Professor | Birmingham City University | United Kingdom

Dr. Monica Mateo-Garcia is an Associate Professor in Sustainable Built Environment at Birmingham City University, where she leads the Centre for Future Homes and serves as REF Unit of Assessment Lead for Architecture and Built Environment. An architect by training and chartered member of the Professional Association of Architects of the Valencian Community, her expertise spans low-carbon building design, post-occupancy evaluation, indoor environment quality, and energy-efficient retrofitting. She has extensive experience across academia and industry in the UK and Spain, including leading EU-funded projects on low-carbon refurbishment and innovative technologies for sustainable construction. Dr. Mateo-Garcia’s research has produced numerous peer-reviewed publications in journals such as Energy for Sustainable Development, Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, and Engineering Failure Analysis, contributing to knowledge on healthy, resilient, and net-zero-ready buildings. Her academic leadership is evident through PhD supervision, international conference organisation, and editorial and review roles within scientific committees. A recipient of the Knowledge Exchange Award for Best Research with Public and Third Sector and multiple Constructing Excellence and Building Excellence Awards, she is also an active member of national expert panels including UKIEG, NHBC Foundation, and UKGBC taskforces. Her ongoing work advances evidence-based pathways to net-zero housing, promoting climate-resilient design and healthier indoor environments through innovative research and practice. Her research impact includes 215 citations, 14 publications, and an h-index of 7.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Mateo-Garcia M., Abdulkerim S., Nasır A., Alymany G., Simcock N., Impacts of limited fuel choices in Syrian refugee camps: A mixed-methods investigation into household energy practices and indoor air pollution. Energy for Sustainable Development, 2025, 85, 101640.

2. Roberts C.J., Edwards D.J., Hosseini M.R., Mateo-Garcia M., Post-occupancy evaluation: a review of literature. Engineering, Construction and Architectural Management, 2019, 26(9), 2084–2106.

3. Ivorra S., Garcia-Barba J., Mateo M., Pérez-Carramiñana C., Maciá A., Partial collapse of a ventilated stone façade: Diagnosis and analysis of the anchorage system. Engineering Failure Analysis, 2013, 31, 290–301.

4. Ahmed A., McGough D., Mateo-Garcia M., Testing innovative technologies for energy-efficiency: Coventry University as a living lab. Entrepreneurship and Sustainability Issues, 2017, 4(3), 257–270.

5. Mohamed I.F., Edwards D.J., Mateo-Garcia M., Costin G., Thwala W.D.D., An investigation into the construction industry’s view on fire prevention in high-rise buildings post Grenfell. International Journal of Building Pathology and Adaptation, 2020, 38(3), 451–471.

Dr. Monica Mateo-Garcia’s work advances global sustainability through innovative research on low-carbon building design, post-occupancy evaluation, and healthy indoor environments. Her leadership in developing net-zero-ready housing and evidence-based retrofit strategies bridges science, industry, and policy, driving climate-resilient and socially equitable built environments.

Lesiba George Mollo | Building Energy Efficiency | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Dr. Lesiba George Mollo | Building Energy Efficiency | Best Researcher Award

Senior Lecturer | Central University of Technology | South Africa

Dr. Lesiba George Mollo is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Built Environment at the Central University of Technology, Free State, South Africa, specializing in construction management and construction health and safety. He holds a PhD in Construction Management from Nelson Mandela University, where his research focused on reducing human failures in construction through the Training-Within-Industry (TWI) method. He also earned an MTech in Quantity Surveying (Cum Laude), a BTech in Quantity Surveying, and a National Diploma in Building, complemented by professional certifications in project and safety management. Dr. Mollo’s professional journey spans academic leadership as Acting Head of Department, Deputy Research Dean, and Research Chair, as well as practical roles with leading construction firms managing infrastructure, housing, and public works projects. His research expertise encompasses construction safety management, wearable sensing devices, 360° video technology for behavioral monitoring, and energy-efficient building technologies. He has published over forty scholarly outputs, including peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and the authored volume Training-Within-Industry Job Programs for Improved Construction Safety (Routledge). Dr. Mollo actively contributes to academic development through postgraduate supervision, conference organization, and peer reviewing for international journals. He has received recognition for academic excellence, including the MTech Best Performance Award from Nelson Mandela University, and holds memberships in the South African Council for the Project and Construction Management Professions (SACPCMP) and the Association of South African Quantity Surveyors (ASAQS). He has 35 citations, 14 publications, and an h-index of 3.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID | Google Scholar

Featured Publications

1. Mollo, L. G. (2025). Evaluating the use of 360° video technology to monitor workers’ unsafe behaviour in the construction industry. In International Civil Engineering and Architecture Conference (pp. 685–693). Springer Nature Singapore.

2. Mollo, L. G., & Chomey, T. (2025). An analysis of barriers to the implementation of energy-efficient technologies in residential buildings: A quantitative approach. Buildings, 15(19), 3520.

3. Mtetwa, S. I., Mollo, L. G., & Emuze, F. (2024). Wearable sensing devices for better monitoring of health, safety, and wellbeing in construction. In Handbook of Drivers of Continuous Improvement in Construction Health, Safety, and Wellbeing (pp. 59–68). Routledge.

4. Mollo, L. G. (2024). Using wearable technologies to minimise occupational illnesses among construction workers. Proceedings of the Institution of Civil Engineers – Forensic Engineering, 177(2), 64–71.

5. Mollo, L. G., Emuze, F., & Smallwood, J. (2023). Causes of human failure on construction sites. In Training-Within-Industry Job Programs for Improved Construction Safety (pp. 13–27). Routledge.

Syed Mustakim | Building Construction Technology | Best Researcher Award

Published on by Architecture Engineers

Dr. Syed Mustakim | Building Construction Technology | Best Researcher Award

Senior Technical Officer | CSIR Institute Of Minerals And Materials Technology | India

Dr. Syed Mohammed Mustakim, Senior Technical Officer at the CSIR-Institute of Minerals & Materials Technology, Bhubaneswar, under the Department of Scientific & Industrial Research, Government of India, is a distinguished expert in the utilization of industrial and mining wastes for sustainable cementitious and building materials. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from KIIT University, a PG Diploma in Cement Technology from NCCBM, a PG Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights from IGNOU, and an MBA in Marketing Management from Jaipur National University. With over two decades of professional experience across leading research institutions and industries, Dr. Mustakim has spearheaded pioneering projects on waste-to-wealth technologies, geopolymer composites, and eco-friendly construction materials, leading to multiple licensed technologies, patents, and collaborations with major industries. He has authored over 25 peer-reviewed publications, 10 book chapters, and numerous conference papers, and has made significant contributions as a Ph.D. supervisor and examiner. His leadership extends to organizing international seminars, technology transfer initiatives, and serving on key institutional committees. Recognized for his impactful research, he has received several prestigious honors including multiple Best Paper Awards at international conferences, the Indian Concrete Journal Best Paper Award, and recognition at Tata Steel’s MaterialNEXT competition. He also serves as a reviewer for leading journals and has delivered invited talks at national forums. His outstanding career reflects a deep commitment to advancing sustainable materials science, industry collaboration, and innovative solutions for environmental challenges 933 citations, 35 publications, h-index 14.

Profiles: Scopus | ORCID

Featured Publications

1. Krishna R.S., Boopathy R., Mishra S., Rawat S., Sethy N., Qureshi T.S., Mustakim S.M. Impact of high-temperature exposure on the thermal and physio-mechanical performance of graphene-reinforced geopolymer composites. Constr. Build. Mater., 2025, 489, 142285.

2. Tripathi A.K., Das S.K., Kandi S.K., Rajput P., Mustakim S.M. Integrated management of ferrochrome slag: Metal recovery, Cr(VI) stabilization, and sustainable reuse in construction materials. J. Environ. Manag., 2025, 390, 126268.

3. Krishna R.S., Durga Prasad V., Sethy N., Panda B., Boopathy R., Rawat S., Mustakim S.M., Qureshi T.S. Investigation on in-situ geopolymer coatings: A comparative analysis of lycopodium powder and polydimethylsiloxane as functional additives. Struct. Concr., 2025, 26(3), 2704–2725.